


Unload

by storyofaginger



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:35:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23532424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storyofaginger/pseuds/storyofaginger
Summary: "I guess we all need someone to remind us that we’re strong occasionally."
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 15
Kudos: 131





	Unload

Blake jolts awake with a sharp inhale, the air catching in her throat. 

She sits up in her bed and pinches the bridge of her nose, trying to control her breathing. She looks around the room to remind herself where she is but it only draws her attention to how unbearably small and dark it is. She quickly kicks the covers off herself and hurries out of the room. She finds herself wandering into the bathroom, not because she needs to but because she doesn’t know where else to go. 

She’s procrastinating, she realizes as she paces the length of the room. At least it was bright in here. No. It was too bright. A harsh white. Like everything else in this place. Occasionally, the corner of her eye catches her reflection in the mirror but she can’t will herself to look at it. She aimlessly wanders for a while, but it does nothing to help get rid of the nauseating energy thruming through her. So, she stops. She leans heavily against the counter and listens to the sound of the running faucet. She splashes some warm water on her face. She examines the designs on the titles until she isn’t sure what she’s looking at. Eventually, she runs out of ideas. She’s running away again she realizes scornfully. She doesn’t even know what she’s running from, but she’s running. 

She reluctantly drags her feet back to the room, mentally preparing herself for a sleepless, very uncomfortable next few hours. A hit of blonde catches the corner of her eye as she passes by but she doesn’t register it. She jumps and turns on her heel when she does. Yang is slouched in front of one of the floor to ceiling windows that flank the hallway. She has her coat loosely draped over her shoulders and is staring distantly out the glass, her lips pressed to the yellow metal of her arm. 

“Yang?” Blake calls almost disbelievingly. Her voice seems to startle Yang. 

“Blake?” she calls back equally disbelieving. She looks as if she had been caught red-handed for a moment before her expression shifts to concern. She sits up a bit straighter. “Are you OK?” 

“Yeah I’m OK,” she assures quietly as she approaches Yang. 

“What are you doing up?” Yang’s brows lower in worry. 

“I was going to ask you the same.” Blake taps one of Yang’s legs, getting her to scoot and make more room. She sits down facing Yang, their knees touching. 

“I just...couldn’t sleep,” she admits dejectedly. She presses her lips to her arm again and gazes out the window.

Blake follows Yang’s gaze, resting the side of her head against the glass. It was one of those remarkably clear, winter nights that you could tell was freezing by just looking at it. The entire city sprawled out underneath them was awash in a white tint. Blake could feel the frigid air trying to permeate the glass. It’s strangely soothing against her forehead. She wraps her arms around herself more tightly. 

“Me either…” After a beat. “How come,” Blake hums before she catches herself. “Sorry, you don’t have to talk about it-”

Yang interrupts her with a shake of her head. It takes Yang a moment to respond, her face flickering in thought. “Sometimes,” she begins slowly. “It’s really hard to shut off you know?” She looks at Blake hopefully who nods in understanding, encouraging her to continue. “At night especially, even though I’m tired, sometimes it’s hard to stop thinking about...well everything.” 

Blake can tell she is exhausted. Her normally vibrant lilac eyes seem more dull in the moonlight. 

“I hate this place,” Yang curses as she glares out over the city with disgust. “I feel like I should be thankful to be an official huntress, going on missions. Thankful that we have like, food and actual beds to sleep in instead of sleeping outside. I am thankful...But I’m not really. This place is so dark and depressing! It’s one big political shit show. And all this non-stop training is so frustrating sometimes! I know it’s part of the “process” or whatever but I don’t feel like I’m getting stronger. I feel like I’ve regressed!” She stares mournfully at her metal palm for a moment. “I don’t care about all the politics. I just want to be strong enough to protect the people _I_ care about.” 

Blake clasps both her hands around Yang’s metal one. “Hey,” she calls quietly. Yang’s eyes drift up to meet hers. “You’re not the only one trying to protect them,” she gently reminds, hoping her expression conveys enough to be convincing. “I know what you mean. I hate this place too,” Blake admits. “But you are getting stronger Yang. Even if you don’t see it. I do. I see it everyday.”

“I know,” she exhales. “I just don’t _feel_ like I am.” They sit in contemplative silence for a moment before Yang visibly deflates. Blake feels her squeeze her palm tighter. Her other hand comes to rest over their joined ones. Idly, she strokes the back of Blake’s hands as she talks. “I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t-It’s just who I am, you know? I’m very protective. Of you,” her voice falters for a second. “Of Ruby. Of Weiss,” she adds almost as an afterthought. She takes a moment to breathe. “I know everyone is strong and they don’t need me to protect them but it doesn’t always stop me from feeling like, it’s up to me to defend them. And it won’t stop me from trying.”

Blake closes her eyes and smiles. “I love that about you,” she admits quietly. But then her eyes snap open in realization that she might have said too much. Have overstepped some boundary. “I mean! That you care so deeply for others...” She finishes flushing deeply. Her reaction causes Yang to grin stupidly. 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Blake smiles bashfully, tucking some hair behind her ear. A fluttering, disorienting sensation washes over her. “But,” she clears her throat, snapping out of her daze before continuing in a more serious tone. “None of that is on you Yang. It’s not up to you alone to protect everyone. We protect each other…” Yang’s expression tilts towards their joined hands again as she speaks.

“You’re right though,” Yang’s gaze jerks back to her face in surprise. “I do know you. I know that you already know this and despite me reminding you, you’ll still feel like you have to carry that burden on your own sometimes. It’s too heavy of a burden for one person though, Yang! So...next time you feel that way...at least...let me help carry some of it?”

Yang seems to weigh the words in her mind. After a moment she says, “Only if you let me do the same for you.”

The statement catches Blake off guard. “I don’t-”

“Just...unload onto me. It’s fine. I can take it.”

“Wha…?”

Suddenly Yang releases her hands as if they burned her and scratches the back of her head. “Sorry! I’m not as eloquent as you!” She adds nervously with a hand raised. Her brow furrows as she contemplates her next words carefully. 

“I know you’re still...haunted by...certain things from your past,” she begins slowly. She lifts her gaze to Blake’s. 

When their eyes meet Blake’s breath catches in her throat. The raw vulnerability is paralyzing. She couldn’t look away even if she wanted to. The hallway disappears and she feels like she’s ejected from her body, falling into violet. “You mean Adam? Just say his name, it’s fine,” she hears herself say distantly. She unconsciously hugs herself tighter and shivers. 

“Well, yes. But no. I don’t mean just Adam.” Yang shifts away from the window slightly so she’s sitting closer to Blake. 

“What do you mean then,” Blake asks, playing dumb. 

Yang’s coat settles over Blake’s hunched shoulders like a blanket. She tugs the collar so it's wrapped more securely around her. The force tilts Blake’s chin up towards her face slightly. “You tell me.” 

The sincerity behind the action. The soothing warmth. The unrelenting tenderness behind the demand. It forces the words from Blake’s mouth before she even realizes it. “There’s so much,” she shakily breathes. 

“That’s OK,” Yang hums in understanding. 

Blake’s lips part trembling. She doesn’t know why but she’s suddenly gripped by intense panic. She struggles to swallow it down. “I’m not really used to talking about it,” she admits unsteadily. 

“You don’t have to,” Yang clarifies while rubbing her arm over the coat comfortingly. The action itself was gentle but the force of it pushed the heavy weight off her chest. “I don’t want you to feel like I’m pushing you or anything. It’s just...you always help me. I want to be able to-”

“No, I want to,” Blake blurts out in realization. But when Yang looks at her patiently she becomes aware she doesn’t even know where to begin. “I had a nightmare about Adam,” she settles on the most recent. Yang nods sympathetically. “I don’t have them as often anymore but I still have them sometimes,” she finds herself saying. “Maybe I’m naive,” her voice cracks and she has to swallow thickly. “Because I really thought things would be different now that he’s gone for good…” She feels anger start to boil within herself, directed at no one in particular. The situation? Herself maybe? The heat settles in her face. “I try so hard not to think about him. He doesn’t fucking deserve it!” She seethes. “But he _still.._ creeps into my thoughts sometimes. Or my dreams. I wish I could just...throw all the memories away completely. But...I just seem to can’t!” Her vision blurs. “It’s like a part of me is still holding on to him and it’s fucked up!”

“It’s not fucked up, Blake,” Yang says firmly, gently grabbing her shoulders and forcing Blake to look her in the eye. “It’s not fucked up,” she says more insistently.

“It _is_ fucked up,” she recoils in disgust. Her eyes drop to the metal arm stretched out in front of her. “He’s caused so much pain…” She doesn’t want to cry. She really doesn’t want to cry because of _Adam_. She’s done enough. She has to clench her jaw hard to stop herself. 

Yang roughly shakes her head and brings Blake forcefully into her arms. Blake’s head finds itself in the crook of her neck as she greedily returns the embrace. “You’re not fucked up Blake,” Yang says more desperately. “Please don’t think that!” she begs. She feels Yang press her cheek into the top of her head. “You were with him for years. It’s just going to take time…” Yang trails off before taking a deep breath and continuing. “There’s nothing wrong with that. There’s nothing wrong with any of that,” she explains confidently. “Everything you’re feeling isn’t fucked up. It’s human. Blake,” she lets out an airy laugh in astonishment. “You’re so strong. Here you are fighting to try and save the world even after everything…Most people couldn’t do that.”

The declaration causes Blake to snort. The irony coming from someone like Yang. But because they are coming from someone like Yang, a part of her can’t help but believe that maybe there’s some truth to them? 

“I don’t feel like I’m strong,” she mumbles into Yang’s shoulder. In the end she couldn’t stop a few tears from escaping. 

“I guess we all need someone to remind us that we’re strong occasionally.”

Two pieces click together in Blake’s mind and a tidal wave of calm washes over her. Suddenly she can breathe easy.

“I know it’s going to take time,” she reveals. “It’s just...hard sometimes in the meantime.” 

“I know baby,” Yang hums quietly, tightening her grip and rocking them slightly.

Dimly, Blake realizes the pet name is probably too intimate. But she likes it too much to care. It causes a spark of warmth in her chest. A secret she vows to keep to the grave. “Do you still get flashes?” she asks quietly. 

“Sometimes. Not so much when I’m with you,” she confesses.

“I don’t want you to feel like you can’t talk about him with me,” Blake chokes. 

“I’ve never felt that,” Yang says assuredly. “You’re the only person I’ve ever felt like I _could_ talk to about him.”

Blake nods into her neck, satisfied with the answer. They sit in comfortable silence in each other's arms. Yang is the first to pull away, her hands returning to her shoulders. She presses their foreheads together. 

“We’re going to be OK, Blake.”

A strange feeling bubbles in Blake. Nervousness of sorts. It’s both terrifying and intoxicating. A feeling she wants to chase she thinks. 

Blake trails her fingertips down Yang’s forearms till they rest at her wrists. “We’re OK,” she corrects. 

“Yeah,” Yang breathes. “We’re OK.”

Blake pulls away slightly after a long moment. “I thought I was supposed to be helping you,” she teases. A half-grin grows on Yang’s face. 

“I’m not comforting you and you’re not comforting me. We’re comforting each other.”

“Gods, where did you hear that cheesy line?” She throws her head back with a slight laugh and a blush. 

“Oh, someone told me something similar once. But don’t worry, they were a total dork,” she explains weakly.

Overcome with affection, Blake burrows herself into Yang again, needing to feel the weight of her arms around her. Yang eagerly accepts the embrace. Blake inhales deeply, taking in Yang’s scent. She falls into a trance of sorts and allows herself to float along. She’s never experienced this kind of deep serenity before. This quiet state of mind. They stay like that for how long, Blake doesn’t know. Time doesn’t exist in that moment. She never wants to leave but the idea that they need to sleep pops into the back of her head. 

“We should probably go back to bed.” 

“I don’t really want to let you go,” Yang professes. It’s so quiet Blake nearly misses it. 

“Then don’t,” she whispers back. 

“Ok,” Yang exhales into a cat ear. 

“But, let’s at least go lay down.”

“Ok,” Yang sighs deeply. She reluctantly releases Blake and stands, encouraging Blake to do the same. 

“I’m keeping your coat by the way,” she mentions as she slips her arms into the sleeves to wear it properly. 

“That’s all right. You know I’m always warm.” She rubs her eyes with one hand as she speaks and blindly reaches for Blake with the other. Blake catches the arm and wraps it around her as they head back to the room. 

“Wait,” Yang pauses in her tracks. “You don’t mean like, _permanently_ do you?” 

Blake rolls her eyes and pushes her along. 

They enter the room quietly. Both Ruby and Weiss are still fast asleep. Yang points upwards, signaling to her bed. Blake is too tired to protest and climbs up, Yang following closely behind. She has to lay with her back pressed against the wall to make room for Yang. 

“You know, they’re going to give us shit for this,” Yang whispers as she crawls into Blake’s arms. 

“Mmm,” Blake makes a noise in the back of her throat as she snuggles into Yang’s collar bone. “I don’t care,” she mumbles tiredly. Yang presses her lips to the top of Blake’s head in between her ears. 

Yang’s voice pulls her back from the void. She whispers lowly, “Is it alright if I take this off?” She taps her with her metal hand. “It’s not that comfortable to sleep with a chunk of metal.” 

“You don’t have to ask,” she says with her eyes closed. 

“I didn’t want to weird you out. It’s weird...and kind of ugly-” Yang begins to explain in a hushed whisper but, Blake silences her by blindly brushing her fingers over her lips. She shifts the hand so it’s cuping her jaw. Yang’s face moves under her palm, sliding closer. She tilts her head, expecting a nuzzle that never comes. Instead, Yang freezes, her breath brushing the hair over Blake’s forehead, tickling the skin lightly. The unexpected pause draws Blake’s face to Yang’s. She cracks her eyes open, immediately staring straight into Yang’s slightly parted lips, angled directly down at her. Her face is so close the details of it are hazy but Blake can see that raw vulnerability again. Can feel the unspoken question fill the small space between them. Hesitancy from both ends hangs heavily. But, it’s desire that tugs Blake closer. Desire to know how soft those lips were. Desire for closeness. Desire to chase that indescribable feeling from before even further. It causes her to tilt her chin the barest amount and close the remaining distance. 

Blake feels Yang’s shuddered breath against her cheek when their mouths finally meet. The kiss is brief, just a mere press of lips, but the warmth it sparks is immense. She feels Yang’s mouth stretch into a smile and the happiness that exudes from the action is irresistible. Blake smiles into the kiss as well, causing their lips to part too soon but Blake can’t help it. With a content sigh she buries her head back into the crook of Yang’s neck while Yang’s lips return to her hair. Their arms wrap around each other more tightly, trying to press their bodies more closely than possible. 

After many moments, Yang is the first to pull away. She disengages her arm. “I usually put it up here,” she explains under her breath as she stretches to wedge it at the top of the bed. They settle with Yang on her back and Blake curled into her side, Blake’s head resting on her shoulder. Yang’s hand absentmindedly combs through black strands, occasionally scratching an ear and sending pleasant tingles down Blake’s spine. 

Blake, in retrospect, falls into the deepest sleep of her life. 

* * *

“Ruby! Get down here this instance!” 

“But they’re so cute!” Yang hears Ruby coo in a whisper somewhere close by but she ignores it, refusing to open her eyes. 

“All of this is an _egregious_ breach of roommate etiquette,” Weiss seethes under her breath from somewhere in the room. 

“What? Why?” Ruby wonders.

“R-Ruby…” Weiss sputters. 

“Oh! Maybe I can use this as _blackmail_ to finally get Yang to-” She pauses when Yang’s eyes snap open to glare directly at her. Ruby quickly, but very obviously, tries to hide her scroll. “Umm--Ahh--Good Morning!” She cheers nervously, her expression riddled with guilt. Her face slowly disappears over the edge as she lowers herself to the floor. 

“Ruby, just leave them alone!” Weiss barks. 

Yang turns her head into Blake. “Blake,” she murmurs gently. “I need to get up, so I can punch my sister,” she twitches the arm Blake is resting on top of. Blake burrows herself more deeply into Yang, effectively trapping her. 

“Don’t punch your sister,” she slurs drunkenly with sleep, her face still hidden against Yang’s chest. 

It’s so cute, Yang can only abide. 

* * *

(“By the way you two! We are going to have a _serious_ team meeting later where we discuss roommate guidelines!”) 

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally a chapter in a longer fic I was writing but I don't think it will ever get finished. So, I decided to post it as a one-shot. Just some soft bees for you all to enjoy. 
> 
> You can find me on tumblr at [storyofaginger](https://storyofaginger.tumblr.com/)


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